One of the biggest NHL free agents left on the board has now found a new home. The Ottawa Senators announced they have signed winger Vladimir Tarasenko to a one-year deal worth $5 million.
Tarasenko finished the 2022-23 season with the New York Rangers after being traded by the St. Louis Blues. The 31-year-old forward managed to net 18 goals and 50 points between St. Louis and New York last season.
When healthy, Tarasenko can be a lethal offensive weapon with a laser of a shot. Tarasenko has 262 goals in 644 career games, and he has eclipsed the 30-goal mark six times in his 11 seasons. In the 2019 playoffs, Tarasenko scored 11 goals as he led the Blues to their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.
The biggest obstacle for Tarasenko in recent years has been his health. Tarasenko underwent three shoulder surgeries as a member of the Blues, and that greatly impacted him from 2019 to 2021. However, Tarasenko showed what he was capable of at full strength with 34 goals and 82 points in the 2021-22 campaign.
After trading Alex DeBrincat to the Detroit Red Wings earlier this offseason, the Senators signed Tarasenko to replace some of that production on the wing. Tarasenko may no longer be as dynamic as DeBrincat, but he still brings some offensive firepower and veteran leadership to a rebuilding club.